Petunia plant named ‘Keipekumehus’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Keipekumehus’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; flowers that are reddish purple in color with a white-colored star-shaped pattern and centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia x hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KEIPEKUMEHUS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia x hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Keipekumehus’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Katori, Chiba, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and early-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in May, 2017 in Katori, Chiba, Japan of an unnamed proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Katori, Chiba, Japan in November, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Katori, Chiba, Japan since November, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Keipekumehus’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Keipekumehus’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Flowers that are reddish purple in color with a white-colored         star-shaped pattern and centers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are reddish purple in color with a white-colored star-shaped pattern and centers whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection are pink in color. In addition, plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are reddish purple in color with a white-colored star-shaped pattern and centers whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection are pink in color with white-colored centers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia x hybrida ‘Sunpetu 211’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,396. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunpetu 211’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Sunpetu 211’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunpetu 211’ differ in flower         color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are reddish purple         in color with a white-colored star-shaped pattern and centers         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Sunpetu 211’ are bright purple         with a white-colored star pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Keipekumehus’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Keipekumehus’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 9-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Katori, Chiba, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 15° C. and night temperatures averaged 10° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia x hybrida ‘Keipekumehus’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Petunia x hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Petunia x hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 10° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             light brown to white in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant             habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 14.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 20 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 7 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 138A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             numerous flowers developing during the flowering season;             flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about two to             three weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants             flower continuously from late March to late October in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower tube length—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl,             fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal             length from throat: About 2.3 cm. Petal width: About 2.2 cm.             Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal             margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74A;             star-shaped pattern and towards the throat, close to N155B;             venation, close to N74A; ground color becoming closer to             N80B with subsequent development. Petal, when opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to N155A; venation, close             to N74A; color does not change with subsequent development.             Throat: Close to N155B; venation, close to 145C. Tube: Close             to 145C; venation, close to 145B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base.             Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 2 mm. Sepal             shape: Narrowly elliptic; reflexed. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal             margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to             outwardly. Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther shape: Roughly round to oblong. Anther size: About 2             mm by 3.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 158D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 158B. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.9 cm. Style length:             About 1.8 cm. Style color: Close to 145A. Stigma shape:             Roughly round. Stigma color: Close to 145B. Seeds and             fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Petunia plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Keipekumehus’ as illustrated and described. 